Pivoted tool having a wedge-shaped jaw portion for engaging a tie rod sleeve



J. A CASHION 3,336,825 PIVOTED TOOL HAVING A WEDGE-SHAPED JAW PORTION FOR ENGAGING A TIE ROD SLEEVE Aug. 22, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet .i

Filed April 27, 1966 v INV NTOR L/MW A.-CA$H/0N g- 22, 1967 J A. CASHION 3,336,825

PIVOTED TOOL HAVING A WEDGE-SHAPED JAW PORTION FOR ENGAGING A TIE ROD SLEEVE Filed- April 27, 1966 '2 Sheets-Shae? J VENTOR- c/flCK A. CAsH/o/v' ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,336,825 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 PIVOTED TOOL HAVING A WEDGE-SHAPED JAW PORTION FOR ENGAGING A TIE ROD SLEEVE Jack A. Cashion, 297 Raywood Court, Nashville, Tenn. 37211 Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 545,696 1 Claim. (Cl. 81-426) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosure This invention relates to improvements in tools of the type having a pair of movable jaws which cooperate with each other in releasably gripping and object therebetween.

In the use of a wrench or pliers in the gripping and rotation of a cylindrical member, the usual serrations provided on the working face of the gripping jaws of the pliers or wrench are usually of the type and tightened thereabout to such an extent as to impress themselves in the peripheral surface of the cylindrical member in order to provide sutficient gripping action so that the member can be readily rotated. Even when so tightened, this type of wrench or pliers will frequently slip, which will likely at least skin the knuckles of the operator. Cylindrical members of this type and which must be rotated for adjustment thereof are frequently of the split sleeve type or have some slot, groove or opening therein, but heretofore no one has provided a tool which could interact with the slot, groove or opening thereof in providing a virtual non-slip grip thereof.

For instance, automobiles are usually provided with a tie-rod including an internally threaded cylindrical sleeve or cuff which may be rotated in one direction for increasing the rod length and rotated in the other direction to decrease the rod length. The cylindrical sleeves of these tie-rods are conventionally of the split-sleeve type and, due to their exposed position on the under surface of the automobile, are likely to accumulate rust or dirt at and within the screw threads so that they cannot be readily rotated after they have been in use for a considerable period of time. Using conventional pliers or wrenches, the same will slip about the cylindrical sleeve when it is sought to rotate the same.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of an improved tool of the type having a pair of jaws which cooperate with each other in releasably gripping a member therebetween and in which the working face of at least one of the jaws is provided with a tooth-like member extending outwardly from the working face of the jaw of which it is a part and toward the working face of the other jaw for a substantial distance from the remainder of the working face of the jaw of which it is a part in juxtaposition for interfitting engagement within a slot, groove or opening of the member to be gripped therebetween.

A further object is the provision of a tool having a tooth-like member as specified above and in which the tooth-like member thereof is shaped and positioned on the working surface of a jaw for interfitting within the spacedapart slot or opening of a split-sleeve cylindrical member for expanding the cylindrical sleeve in gripping of the same between the jaws.

A further object is the provision of a tool having a tooth-like member as described above and in which the tooth-like member of the jaw is disposed longitudinally intermediate the working face of the jaw of which it is a part in juxtaposition so that the normal lines of force exerted by the tooth-like member on a member gripped between the jaws will intersect the jaw opposite the toothlike member longitudinally intermediate the working surface thereof.

A further object is the provision of tie-rod culf pliers for use in rotation of the elongated split-sleeve or cuff of the conventional automobile tie-rod and in which one of the jaws of the pliers includes a tooth-like member for interfitting within the longitudinal slot of the split-sleeve or cult of the tie-rod member and provides a wedge within the longitudinal slot thereof for expanding the cylindrical sleeve and providing a positive grip for the pliers whereby the cylindrical sleeve may be contemporaneously expanded and rotated by the pliers.

In the drawings and in this specification I have shown and described a plier type tool which embodies the invention, however, it will be readily apparent that this invention may likewise be used in connection with wrenches and other movable jaw tools and is not deemed to be limited solely to use with pliers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a portion of this specification, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my improved tool, with parts thereof broken away to show preferred details.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tie-rod cuff or sleeve and comprising an embodiment of a member with which my improved tool may be used.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of my improved tool showing the same in a gripping position about the tie-rod cuff or sleeve of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may generally designate a pair of pliers embodying my invention and B a tie-rod cuff or sleeve which exemplifies the type of member with which my improved tool may be particularly readily used.

Pliers A preferably include an upper jaw 15 which is fixedly connected to a handle member 16 such as by a rivet 17; a lower jaw 19 which is preferably hingedly connected to handle 16 by pin 20; and a handle member 21 hingedly interconnected to jaw 19 such as by pin 22. laws 15 and 19 are juxtaposed with respect to each other so that, upon bringing together of handles 16 and 21, the respective working faces 23 and 24 of jaws 15 and 19 will be moved toward one another for gripping a work member therebetween. Separation of handles 16 and 21 release a work member gripped between jaws 15' and 19. A spring 25 may be interconnected at one end thereof to handle 16 and at the other end thereof to jaw 19 for facilitating separation or opening of jaws 15 and 19. Handle 16 may be provided with a threaded screw 26 which abuts against and cooperates with one end of lever 27 in regulating the spaced apart gripping relationship between jaws 15 and 19, and a pivoted lever member 28 may be provided on handle 21 for abutment with protuberance 29 of lever 27 in assisting opening or separation of jaws 15 and 19.

As thus far described, the tool is a conventional pliers in which opposed working faces 23 and 24 of respective view taken substantially on the line jaws and 19 cooperate in gripping a work member therebetween.

Working face 23 of jaw 15 preferably includes a toothlike member 31 which extends outwardly from the Working surface thereof and toward working face 24 of jaw 19 for a substantial distance from the remainder of the working face 23 of jaw 15. Working face 24 of jaw 19 may comprise a conventional serrated surface such as is conventionally provided on pliers of this type.

Tie-rod cuff or sleeve B may comprise an elongated, cylindrical split sleeve 35 provided with a longitudinal slot, opening or groove 36 which extends substantially the entire longitudinal length thereof. Cylindrical sleeve is provided at each end thereof with internal threads 37 and 38, one of which will be a right-hand thread and the other of which will be a left-hand thread, a flat 39 being provided therebetween as is conventional in the milling of internally threaded sleeves of this type. As shown in FIG. 4, threads 37 may receive a threaded end 40 of one part of the tie-rod and threads 38 may receive a threaded end 41 of another part of the tie-rod. Members 40 and 41 are respectively threaded and received by threads 37 and 38 so that rotation of sleeve in one direction will draw members and 41 toward each other, which acts to decrease the length of the tie-rod, and upon rotation in the other direction will move away from one another, which acts to lengthen the tie-rod. Clamps 45 may be provided adjacent each end of sleeve 35 for securely clamping sleeve 35 to respective members 40 and 41 and for preventing the same from moving either outwardly or inwardly of sleeve 35 by normal vibrations.

As shown in FIG. 3, when my improved tool is used in connection with a tie-rod cuff or sleeve B, tooth-like member 31 of jaw 15 will interfit within longitudinal slot or opening 36 thereof and the normal lines of force 48 of the gripping relationship between tooth-like member 31 and jaw 19 will fall intermediate the longitudinal length of working face 24 of jaw 19. As shown in FIG. 4, the tooth-like member 31 will act like a wedge within longitudinal slot or opening 36 of sleeve 35 in expanding the same which will serve to slightly lift threads 37 and 38 of sleeve 35 from the surface of the threads of members 40 and 41, as shown somewhat exaggerated by spaces 50 and 51. Tooth-like member 31 therefore acts in a dual capacity, providing a positive grip between tool A and member B and in expanding sleeve 35, which facilitates rotation thereof with respect to members 40 and 41.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention'shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A tool adapted to be used in expansion and rotation of a tie rod sleeve, said tie rod sleeve generally comprising an elongated cylindrical sleeve having internal reversible threads at each end thereof which receive respective threaded members interconnected therewith and in which said elongated sleeve is provided with a longitudinal slot whereby said sleeve may be expanded and axially rotated in loosening the threads of said sleeve from the threads of the respective members interconnected therewith, said tool including a pair of jaws, a working face on each of said jaws, pivot means interconnecting said jaws for pivotal movement of said jaws toward and away from each other with the respective working faces thereof in opposed relationship for gripping said sleeve therebetween for rotation of said sleeve, and handle means interconnected with said jaws for pivotal movement of the same, the working face of one of said jaws including a tooth-like member intermedially therealong, said tooth-like member comprising a wedge juxtaposed on said working face for interfitting within said slot of said sleeve, said wedge having a basal interconnection with a working face and including angled sides extending from the base thereof and terminating at an apex towards said other working face and being of a height and cross sectional area between said angled sides thereof for engagement within said slot of said sleeve for expanding said sleeve along said slot thereof and springing said sleeve away from the respective threaded members interconnected therewith prior to abutment of said sleeve with said working face having said wedge, and said wedge being of a width transversely of said working face to withstand the turning torque of rotation in contemporaneous expansion and rotation of said sleeve by said tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,519,073 8/1950 Schaub 81-90 X 2,618,994 11/1952 Frazee 72-409 X 2,997,903 8/1961 Rommel et al. 81368 X 3,170,345 2/1965 Poingt 81-374 X 3,218,696 11/1965 Dritz 81426 X 3,249,104 5/1966 Hohnstein 815.1 X

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

